Harry T. Burleigh
1866-1949
Musician, Composer, Singer
Level 1 biography
Level 1 biography
Fast Facts
Harry Thacker Burleigh was a musician of great talent. He sang, composed, and arranged music.
He helped to make the spiritual a recognized part of American music.
Born: December 2, 1866, in Erie, Pa.
Married Louise Alston in 1898
Child: Alston Burleigh, born 1899.
Died: September 12, 1949
Harry Thacker Burleigh was a musician of great talent. He sang, composed, and arranged music.
He helped to make the spiritual a recognized part of American music.
Born: December 2, 1866, in Erie, Pa.
Married Louise Alston in 1898
Child: Alston Burleigh, born 1899.
Died: September 12, 1949
Early Life
Harry Thacker Burleigh was born in Erie Pennsylvania. He was born on December 2, 1866. His grandfather had been a slave. His grandfather worked as a lamplighter in Erie. He taught Harry many songs the slaves had sung. Harry’s mother worked as a servant. She worked for Mrs. Elizabeth Russell. Mrs. Russell often had concerts in her home. Harry would go with his mother to her job. His mother would work in the kitchen. Harry would stand in the hall and listen to the music. One time there was a concert in the winter when his mother was not working. Harry stood outside to hear the music. He was cold! His mother talked to Mrs. Russell. Mrs. Russell gave Harry a job. He was the doorkeeper. When there was a concert, he would open the door to the guests. This way Harry could hear the music and still stay warm.
Harry worked as a laborer in his teens. He worked to make money for the family. He sang in choirs in Erie. He graduated from High School in 1887. Harry worked as a stenographer during the day. At night he worked on his music.
Musical Education
Harry wanted to study music. He heard that a music school was offering scholarships. It was called the National Conservatory of Music. It was in New York City. Harry went to New York to try for a scholarship. He arrived in New York in 1892 with only $30.00. He was 26 years old. The judges liked his audition. Harry was given a scholarship. Harry’s scholarship did not pay for his food. It did not pay for a place to stay. It only paid for his schooling. Harry did any job he could to make enough money to live. Sometimes he went hungry.
Harry studied music with great teachers. He met many musicians. One great musician was composer Antonin Dvorak. Dvorak was from Czechoslovakia. He worked as the director of the Conservatory of Music. The two men became friends. Harry sang some of the songs his grandfather had taught him. Dvorak thought they were beautiful.
Some African Americans were ashamed of the songs. Slaves had made them up. They reminded them of the hard times of slavery. Dvorak encouraged Harry to write the songs down. He said they were too beautiful to be forgotten. They were part of America’s music. Everyone should hear them.
St. George’s Church
In New York there were many large churches. One was St. George’s Episcopal Church. The church needed a soloist. Many people wanted the job. Harry Burleigh was hired. He was the best singer. He was the first African American to sing in the church’s choir. He sang in that choir for 52 years. The money from this job was enough to pay his bills.
Working Life
Harry finished school in 1896. He taught at the conservatory from 1895 to 1898.
In 1898 Harry married Louise Alston. She was a poet. In 1889 they had a son. They named him Alston Burleigh.
1900 was a good year for Harry Burleigh. He was hired as a music publisher. Some of his songs were published. He also got another solo job. This time it was in Temple Emanuel. He was the first African American to sing in this synagogue.
Harry Burleigh wrote over 200 songs. Some of them were “Saracen Songs” and “Sweet Mother of Mine.” Harry didn’t forget the songs his grandfather had taught him. He did not feel ashamed of them. He was proud of them. They showed how strong the faith of the slaves had been. These songs became known as spirituals. Harry wrote many of them down. He wrote music to be played while they were sung. Now they could be sung in concerts. Some of the songs that Harry arranged were: “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.”
Fame and Recognition
Harry Burleigh gave many concerts. He sang in Europe and America. He performed for the King of England. He also sang for President Theodore Roosevelt.
Harry was given several honors. Atlanta University and Howard University honored him. They gave him honorary degrees. In 1917 the NAACP gave him a medal. It was called the Spingarn Medal. This is given to an African American who has achieved great things. St. George’s Church also honored him for all of his singing. In 1944 they gave him a gift of money. They also gave him a cane with bands of silver around it.
Harry Burleigh helped many young musicians. He remembered how hard it could be. He helped Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson as they studied music.
ASCAP
When musicians write music, it belongs to them. People should not perform the music without paying. This is called a royalty payment. In 1914 a group of musicians and composers got together. They formed a group called the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Most people called it ASCAP. This group made it easy for royalties to be paid. Harry Burleigh helped to found the group. He belonged to it for many years. In 1941 he joined the board of directors.
Later Life
Harry Burleigh retired from singing in 1946. He was not very well. His son Alston helped him to find a nursing home in Stamford, Connecticut. Harry died there on September 12, 1949. He died of heart failure. He was 82 years old.
At Harry Burleigh’s funeral, many of his songs were sung. Many musicians came to honor him. He was buried in Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York. Later, in the 1990’s, his family moved his body. They had him buried in Erie, the city where he was born.
Reading Level. 4.8. Video courtesy of Erie Hall of Fame.
Harry Thacker Burleigh was born in Erie Pennsylvania. He was born on December 2, 1866. His grandfather had been a slave. His grandfather worked as a lamplighter in Erie. He taught Harry many songs the slaves had sung. Harry’s mother worked as a servant. She worked for Mrs. Elizabeth Russell. Mrs. Russell often had concerts in her home. Harry would go with his mother to her job. His mother would work in the kitchen. Harry would stand in the hall and listen to the music. One time there was a concert in the winter when his mother was not working. Harry stood outside to hear the music. He was cold! His mother talked to Mrs. Russell. Mrs. Russell gave Harry a job. He was the doorkeeper. When there was a concert, he would open the door to the guests. This way Harry could hear the music and still stay warm.
Harry worked as a laborer in his teens. He worked to make money for the family. He sang in choirs in Erie. He graduated from High School in 1887. Harry worked as a stenographer during the day. At night he worked on his music.
Musical Education
Harry wanted to study music. He heard that a music school was offering scholarships. It was called the National Conservatory of Music. It was in New York City. Harry went to New York to try for a scholarship. He arrived in New York in 1892 with only $30.00. He was 26 years old. The judges liked his audition. Harry was given a scholarship. Harry’s scholarship did not pay for his food. It did not pay for a place to stay. It only paid for his schooling. Harry did any job he could to make enough money to live. Sometimes he went hungry.
Harry studied music with great teachers. He met many musicians. One great musician was composer Antonin Dvorak. Dvorak was from Czechoslovakia. He worked as the director of the Conservatory of Music. The two men became friends. Harry sang some of the songs his grandfather had taught him. Dvorak thought they were beautiful.
Some African Americans were ashamed of the songs. Slaves had made them up. They reminded them of the hard times of slavery. Dvorak encouraged Harry to write the songs down. He said they were too beautiful to be forgotten. They were part of America’s music. Everyone should hear them.
St. George’s Church
In New York there were many large churches. One was St. George’s Episcopal Church. The church needed a soloist. Many people wanted the job. Harry Burleigh was hired. He was the best singer. He was the first African American to sing in the church’s choir. He sang in that choir for 52 years. The money from this job was enough to pay his bills.
Working Life
Harry finished school in 1896. He taught at the conservatory from 1895 to 1898.
In 1898 Harry married Louise Alston. She was a poet. In 1889 they had a son. They named him Alston Burleigh.
1900 was a good year for Harry Burleigh. He was hired as a music publisher. Some of his songs were published. He also got another solo job. This time it was in Temple Emanuel. He was the first African American to sing in this synagogue.
Harry Burleigh wrote over 200 songs. Some of them were “Saracen Songs” and “Sweet Mother of Mine.” Harry didn’t forget the songs his grandfather had taught him. He did not feel ashamed of them. He was proud of them. They showed how strong the faith of the slaves had been. These songs became known as spirituals. Harry wrote many of them down. He wrote music to be played while they were sung. Now they could be sung in concerts. Some of the songs that Harry arranged were: “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.”
Fame and Recognition
Harry Burleigh gave many concerts. He sang in Europe and America. He performed for the King of England. He also sang for President Theodore Roosevelt.
Harry was given several honors. Atlanta University and Howard University honored him. They gave him honorary degrees. In 1917 the NAACP gave him a medal. It was called the Spingarn Medal. This is given to an African American who has achieved great things. St. George’s Church also honored him for all of his singing. In 1944 they gave him a gift of money. They also gave him a cane with bands of silver around it.
Harry Burleigh helped many young musicians. He remembered how hard it could be. He helped Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson as they studied music.
ASCAP
When musicians write music, it belongs to them. People should not perform the music without paying. This is called a royalty payment. In 1914 a group of musicians and composers got together. They formed a group called the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Most people called it ASCAP. This group made it easy for royalties to be paid. Harry Burleigh helped to found the group. He belonged to it for many years. In 1941 he joined the board of directors.
Later Life
Harry Burleigh retired from singing in 1946. He was not very well. His son Alston helped him to find a nursing home in Stamford, Connecticut. Harry died there on September 12, 1949. He died of heart failure. He was 82 years old.
At Harry Burleigh’s funeral, many of his songs were sung. Many musicians came to honor him. He was buried in Hastings-on-the-Hudson, New York. Later, in the 1990’s, his family moved his body. They had him buried in Erie, the city where he was born.
Reading Level. 4.8. Video courtesy of Erie Hall of Fame.
